The combined muster of votes for Independent Greg Guma and Libertarian Loyal Ploof failed to win 10 percent of voters.

To what extent do those margins translate to a mandate?

They certainly support his administration's trajectory over the past three years Weinberger said: "It was reassuring to me to see the number of Burlingtonians who believe that we are basically on the right path."

Weinberger even sounded upbeat about his policies' prospects in the newly configured, 12-member City Council, where Progressive representation now runs neck and neck with the mayor's fellow Democrats, with four seats apiece.

The party allegiances of the remaining three independents and single Republican are mixed.

Weinberger acknowledged the strong possibility of a non-Democrat council president and "a bit of a change in the mix."

But he predicted that a continuity of consensus would prevail in the next few years.

"In one way, I see the results of the council races as a further vote for staying the course," Weinberger said.

"We had 10 incumbents re-elected, and it makes sense to me that the voters would send back to office councilors — as well as an administration — that has the city heading in a good direction," he continued.

"These are people who have all been part of the progress of the last three years."

Weinberger cited major policy issues that had moved forward in concert with the council: the resolution of Burlington Telecom's finances; three annual budgets; a significant tax increase; a boost in the Penny-for-Parks program.

A confirmation of those combined efforts surfaced Monday with an bond rating increase by Moody's Investors Service.

In the upcoming months, council discussions on the formation of a 10-year plan to re-invest in infrastructure such as roads and sewer lines are likely to remain in the nonpartisan realm, Weinberger added.

Building on trust

But spirited disagreements over the administration's development policies surfaced in campaign debates and forums.

Weinberger, a former developer, routinely fielded criticism that he was paving the way for a rapid, gross commercialization of the Queen City.

Those discussions were and still are useful, Weinberger said, and illustrate key parts of his approach to growth: listening, collaborating — and then acting decisively.

Weinberger's examples, excerpted from an extended interview:

Burlington Town Center

Where developer and owner Don Sinex is proposing to replace the mall's parking lot, build additional stories for housing, office space and parks.

The administration, Weinberger said, created an open forum on the proposed development and secured funds from Sinex to hire a team of experts that could advise the city on the project.

"We actually secured an additional public process on top of the normal permitting process."

From upgrades to the bike path, to rehabilitating the ferry terminal and the Moran plant.

"We spent a year going through the most thorough public process I really could imagine, soliciting every idea we could, putting everything online, having a deliberative body, having public discussions.

"We added a year to anything being built down there to having a good discussion about it."

The South End roadway, begun several decades ago, has received its environmental permits. Ongoing negotiations with state and federal officials aim to improve pedestrian and bicycle access.

"We intend to be the administration that after so many years of waiting on this project, gets it resolved. I don't think it's healthy to have these projects just hang on indefinitely with uncertain status.

"I don't think we really have a reasonable choice to not move forward — it would put the city at some very substantial financial risk.

"I feel more focused than ever about making that project as good as it can be."

Burlington Telecom

Burlington businessman Trey Pecor, operating as Blue Water Holdings, bought and has leased back the assets of the municipal cable TV, phone and internet utility.

"On the one hand, everyone, including me, desires there to be some sort of long-term local role; that sees value in some form of city involvement going forward.

"On the other hand, I think this community has been burned by the experience of taking $17 million of entrepreneurial risk.

"Now, going forward, the city is not in the position of taking that entrepreneurial risk anymore. That perspective is going to need to be part of the discussion."

"I think there's a lot of consensus that having a healthy, vibrant downtown that has jobs in the downtown, is something that most people think is important. That does in some cases require some building.

"To show support for public improvements, more than 70 percent of voters Tuesday approved a ballot measure to borrow and spend money.

"We're a community that cares a great deal about what gets built on the waterfront, we care about what happens in the heart of downtown.

"Ultimately, we will get to where we want to be, faster and better, if we have these good discussions upfront – and that's what we've tried to do on the waterfront, and try to do again here with the mall, what we're trying to do on the South End.

"Does it come from a place of wanting to see something happen there? Absolutely. It does come from that place.

Becoming slightly more hoarse in the hour-long interview, Weinberger suggested we steer away from development.

About his electoral victory: "I think it was a much broader vote, about the stewardship of the city; people's relief and sense that we have turned the financial picture around, that we've been making progress in general.

"Even if people don't agree with everything we're doing, I hope they see something they like in it, that we are an administration that will listen, will work with a broad array of partners to get things done."